Centrifugal separator for gases.



J. FBTZER.

GBNTRIPUGAL SBPARATOR FOR GASES.

APPLICATION IIED MAR.2, 1910.

Patented Oct. 3, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

r N l INVENTOR J. FETZER.

GBNTRIPUGAL SEPARATOR FOR GASES. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2, 1910.

1,004,760. Patented 001.3, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES W INVEN To all whom it may concern:

entran STATES! .manutention :mmv tarzan, or rrrrssuaen, rnnnsxnvama, assmNoa/or maar una;

HUNDBEDTHS T0 JOHN J'. GEBILACHI,y JB., 0F PITTSBUGH, PENNSYP- VANIA.

Be it known that I, JOHN Fn'rzEa, a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Centrifugal Separators for Gases,lof which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to centrifugal separators yand is designed `more particularlyfor separating ga-sesof different densities or specific gravities, such as the oxygen and` nitrogen of the atmosphere.

The object of the invention is to provide a se 'arator for the purpose specified which is o simple construction, eii'ective in operation, and whereby the separation of the substances, such as the gases, can be regulated and a thoroughl separation secured.

The invention comprises the construction and arran ment of parts hereinafter described ande claimed. In the accompanying drawings, Figurel is a longitudinal sectional view of a separator embodying the invention, and Fig. 2y

is in part an end elevatlon and in part a vertical transverse section thereof.

InI the drawings, 1 indicates the frame of i the machine, which may be of any suitable construction and which is provided with bearings 2 in which is mounted the shaft 3 ofthe rotor. The rotor comprises a suitable 'closed chamber 4 which preferably is of substantially frusto-conical shape as shown andwhich serves as the separating chamber. This chamber is securely fastened to the shaft 3 and rotates therewith.y In the chamber 4inside of the smaller head 5 is a transverse baille plate 6 which extends out fairly close to the peripheral walls of the chamber, but not quite in contact therewith, leaving between its edges and the walls of the chamber the annular passage. This bailie plate is spaced from the head 5r by spacing sleeves 8 so as t-o provide thepassage 9 between t-he same and said head. Similarly y located inside of the chamber justl forward of the larger head 10 is a baiile plate -11 which extends out into proximity to the walls of the chamber but leaving between its vedges and said wall the annular space 12.

This plate is separated from the head 10 by spacing members 13 so as to leave between the same and said head the passage 14. The chamber is separated by one or more diametric or radial plates extending OENTRIFUGAL armaturen ronA casas.

Patented oet. aieii.

longitudinally of the shaft, two of such radial plates 15 being shown, these plates being set in'grooves 1n the bathe plates 6 and 11 and in the shaft 3 and outer of said chamber, and dividing the chamber into two similar parts. These plates serve to carry the air or other material being separated around en massa The rotor 4 may be rotated by any suitable mechanism, the drawing showing for this purpose-a pulley 17 secured to the forward end'of the shaft 3. The forward end of the shaftl is hollow to provide an inlet opening 18 for the gases or other substances to be separated. This is connected by means of a suitablel swivel connection 19 to the supply pipe 20 for the gases or other substances to be separated. In ord of gas'through the apparatus, it is neoessa -to producediierences of pressure at the inlet and outlet ends. Thiscan be accomplished either by attaching suction apparatus to the discharge oitlets or forcing mechanism to the supply inlet. The drawings show diagrammatically a blowerl 21 connected to the inlet and serving as a `means for producing thedierences of pressure between the inlet and outlet and causing a flow of gas or other material through the apparatus.

`The hollow portion 18' of shaft 3 extends inwardly to just inside ofthe head 5 of the casing and thencommunicates through cross ports or slots 2 3 with 'the passage 9 between said head and the ba-ile plate 6. The portion 24 of shaft inside ot the casing is' either solid or plugged, so that no air can pass straight through the same. The other journal of the shaft is also hollow, for some distance inwardly beyond the larger head 10 of the casing, and in said hollow is inserted a pipe25 of such size as to leave between itself, and the hollow' journal, an annular passage 26. The pipe 25 extends inwardly beyond baille plate l1 and there communicates by cross ports or slots 27 directly with the chamber in casing 4. The annular space 26, however, extends inwardly only as far as baie plate 11, and at its inner end communicates through cross ports or slots'28 wit-h the space between battle plate 11 and the head 10. The end of the outlet liournal extends into and has a rotary bearing in a stationary fitting 30, which is pro vided with a discharge chamber 31 having -a side outlet 32 which is controlled by a walls 4v the hollow shaft 3 and passes through cross ports 23 and fiows .radially outwardly through passage 9 and escapes through annular passage 7 at the outer edge of baie plate 6. The air is carried around en masse by means of the division plates 15 and by centrifugal action is separatedinto its denser and lighter components. The denser component flows along the inner surface of the casing wall 4, and through the annular spaces 12 beyond the edge of/baiiie plate 11 and flows through the passage 14 through cross ports 28 and the annular space 26 in the hollowT outlet journal and out through the discharge port 32. The lighter component of the gas fiows inwardly in the separating chamber and through cross ports 27 into the central tube 25 and out through discharge port l34. By properly adjusting the discharge valves 33 and 35, the necessary separation of the components of the gas can be secured. For instance, discharge valve 35 will be set so as to preserve material pressure in passage 14 and at the annular space 12.` Consequently, the lighter component of the gas cannot escape through said passage, but will be forced centrally of the separating chamber and out through the cross ports 27 as described. By varying the relative adjustment of valves 33 and 35, the relative amount of heavier component separated out from the gases or other substance can be regulated at will, as will be readily understood.

Preferably the heads of the chamber are somewhat convex as shown in order that the ports 23 and 28 may be quite long longitudinally of the axis, to pass sufficient air to com ensate for the spaces at the peripheries of t e baiile plates 6 and 11. The purpose of these bafile plates is to provide radial passages from the hollow shaft to the peri hery of the chamber. These plates could, of course, be cast integral with the head, or in other words, the head could beof suflicient thickness to have formed therein the necessary radial passages.

While the apparatus described is intended primarily for separating gases into their denser and lighter components, it is obvious that it may be used for separating liquids as well as other substances. By means of it, it is possible to separate the oxygen from the nitrogen in the air, due to the different specic gravities of these two components.

What I claim is:

1. In a centrifugal separator, an imperforate casin inclosing a separating chamber, alining ho lowjournals on opposite sides of said casing and opening into the separating chamber, bearings in which said journals are rotatably mounted, one of said journals providing a supply inlet and the other journal being provided with separate discharge passages, and transverse plates in said casing extending into proximity to the chamber walls and providing unobstructed passages in the separating chamber arranged to direct the components of different specific gravities separately to said discharge outlets.

2. In a centrifugal separator, an imperferate casing of frusto conical form inclosing a separating chamber and provided with radial passages in proximity to each of its, heads extending from its axis into proximity to its periphery, alining journals on opposite ends of said casing, the journal on the smaller end of said casino forming a supply inlet communicating with the radial passages at thatI head of the chamber and the other ournal being provided with two outlet passages, one of which communicates with the chamber and the other with the radial passages at the larger head of the cas-y ing, and bearings in which said journals are lrotatably mounted.

3. In a centrifugal separator, an imperforate casing of frusto conical shape inclosing a separating chamber, alining hollow journals on opposite ends of said casing and 100.

opening into the separating chamber, the journal on the smaller end of the casing forming a supply inlet and the other jour-l nal being provided with separate discharge passages, bearings in which said journals are rotatably mounted, and fixed transverse plates in said casing extending into proximity to the chamber walls and formingv unobstructed passages arranged to direct the components of different specific gravities 11o separately to said discharge outlets.

4. In a centrifugal separator, an imperforate casing inclosing a separating chamber, alining hollow journals on opposite ends of said casing and opening into the separating chamber, one of said journals forming a supply inlet and the other being provided with separate discharge passages, bearings in which said journals are rotatably mounted, and a baiie plate in said separating cham- 12o ber adjacent to each end thereof and extending into proximity to the peripheral walls of said chamber` and arranged respectively to direct the incoming gases to the periphery of the chamber and to direct the components of `different specific gravities separately to the discharge outlets.

5. In a centrifugal separator, an imperforate casing inclosing a separating chamber, alining hollow journals on opposite ends of said casing and opening into the separating chamber, one of said ournals forming a supply inlet and the other being provided with separate discharge passages, bearings in which said journals are rotatably mounted, and a transverse baille plate in proximity to each of the heads of said chamber but separated therefrom and extending into proximity to the peripheral walls thereof, the supply journal communicating with the spaces between one of said heads and the baille adjacent thereto, one of the discharge passages communicating With the spaces between theother head and the baille adjacent thereto, and the other discharge passage communicating with the chamber between the baflies.

6. In a centrifugal separator, an imperforate casing inclosing a separating chamber and provided with radial passages in proximity to each of its heads extendlng from its axis into proximity to its periphery, alining hollow journals on opposite ends of said casing, one of said journals forming a supply inlet communicating with the radial passages at one of the heads of the chamber and the other journal being provided with two outlet passages, one of which communicates with the chamber and the other with the radial passages at the other head of the casing, and bearings in which said journals are rotatably mounted.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand. v

JOHN FETZER. Witnesses:

JAS. L. WELDON. ESTELLE M. JOHNSON. 

